Uhuru warns rivals to stop meddling in Jubilee Party affairs
By Mustafa Juma, May 1, 2026Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a sharp warning to rival politicians, telling them to keep off the internal affairs of the Jubilee Party or face a political showdown.
In a strongly worded address delivered via phone during the Jubilee Maa Delegates Conference held in Narok on Friday, May 1, 2026, Uhuru accused unnamed leaders of interfering with party structures instead of focusing on building their own political outfits.
The former Head of State, who was represented physically at the event by his younger brother Muhoho Kenyatta, did not hold back as he defended Jubilee’s independence amid intensifying political realignments ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Ni masikitiko kuona wengine, badala ya kuuza vyama zao na sera zao, kazi yao ni kuingilia mipangilio ya vyama vingine,” Uhuru said, in remarks that drew cheers from delegates.
He challenged critics to concentrate on strengthening their own parties rather than attempting to destabilise Jubilee from the outside.
“Kama wanaamini vyama vyao, waende kwa vyama vyao wafanye kazi huko. Sisi tuuze sera zetu kama Jubilee bila kusumbuliwa kila wakati na watu ambao hawana msimamo,” he added.
The conference, which doubled as a homecoming celebration for Jubilee Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta, brought together key opposition figures and party loyalists as the outfit ramps up grassroots mobilisation.
Among the top leaders present was Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i, who has increasingly emerged as a central figure in the party’s reorganisation strategy.
Uhuru used the platform to reaffirm confidence in Jubilee’s new leadership lineup, signalling that the party is reorganising itself for a major political comeback.
“Sisi tunajua viongozi wetu wapya wa Jubilee ni akina Ole Kenta, akina Matiang’i na wale wengine,” he said.
Attack on political defectors
In what appeared to be a direct jab at political defectors and opportunistic leaders, Uhuru dismissed them as unreliable figures driven by self-interest.
“Hawa vinyangarika wengine wapotee, waende wakauze sera yao kwingine lakini sio kwa chama chetu cha Jubilee,” he declared.
The remarks come days after former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament (MP) Ngunjiri Wambugu formally objected to proposed changes to the party’s officials, warning that the process is unlawful and unconstitutional.
In a detailed letter dated April 20, 2026, addressed to the Registrar of Political Parties, Wambugu challenged Gazette Notice No. 5749 of April 17, 2026, which invited public submissions on intended changes to Jubilee Party officials.
In his letter, Wambugu asked the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to suspend or decline registration of the proposed changes until key legal and constitutional questions are resolved.
“I am a registered member of the Jubilee Party (Membership No. JP1116789), a former Member of Parliament elected under the Jubilee Party (2017–2022), and currently an aspirant intending to contest in the 2027 General Election on the Jubilee Party ticket. I therefore have a direct, legitimate and protectable interest in the lawful governance, constitutional integrity, and internal democratic processes of the Party,” Wambugu’s letter read in part.
He argued that he has a direct interest in the party’s governance because he intends to seek election in the 2027 General Election under the Jubilee Party banner.
At the centre of his objection is what he described as a failure by the party to demonstrate who currently holds lawful decision-making authority within Jubilee.
Rising opposition coordination
The Narok event also attracted other prominent opposition figures, including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Peter Munya, leader of the Party of National Unity (PNU), signalling growing coordination among leaders seeking to challenge the current administration.
With the 2027 elections fast approaching, Uhuru’s statement sets the tone for what is shaping up to be an increasingly confrontational political season, as parties scramble to consolidate support and define their identities in a rapidly evolving landscape.